1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a solid electrolytic capacitor and a method of manufacturing the solid electrolytic capacitor.
2. Description of Related Art
A solid electrolytic capacitor includes a capacitor element, an anode terminal, and a cathode terminal. The capacitor element has an element body with an outer circumference the region of which is at least partially defined by a cathode layer, and an anode lead pulled out of the element body through the outer circumference of the element body. The anode terminal is electrically connected to an anode lead. The cathode terminal is electrically connected to a cathode layer.
The solid electrolytic capacitor may have the structure as follows. The element body is in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped. The outer circumference of the element body is defined by a first side surface through which the anode lead is pulled out, a second side surface opposite the first side surface, and third and fourth side surfaces opposite each other and which extend between peripheral edges of the first side surface and peripheral edges of the second side surface. The cathode terminal has first and second terminal component parts. The first terminal component part extends along the third side surface of the element body. The second terminal component part adjoins the first terminal component part, and extends above the second side surface of the element body.
In the aforementioned conventional structure of the solid electrolytic capacitor, the cathode layer forms at least the third side surface of the outer circumference of the element body, and a conductive adhesive is interposed between the third side surface and the first terminal component part. This forms satisfactory electrical connection between the cathode terminal and the cathode layer, allowing the conventional solid electrolytic capacitor to achieve ESR (equivalent series resistance) required at the time of development of the solid electrolytic capacitor.
Meanwhile, the solid electrolytic capacitor has been required to achieve lower ESR in response to a recent trend toward higher performance of an electronic device in which the solid electrolytic capacitor is to be incorporated.